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A1 Material Science Introduction

Metals and their extraction - Reactive metals are found in ores and are extracted through processes like reduction using carbon or electrolysis. The specific extraction method depends on the metal's reactivity. - Alloys are mixtures of metals that can alter properties like hardness. Trace metal analysis can be done using techniques like ICP-MS and ICP-OES that involve ionizing metals using argon plasma. Classes of materials - The four main classes of materials are metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Ceramics and metals have distinct bonding structures that give them different properties like hardness and conductivity. Properties can also be tailored by combining materials into composites. Material properties

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Toman Chi To Lam
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48 views

A1 Material Science Introduction

Metals and their extraction - Reactive metals are found in ores and are extracted through processes like reduction using carbon or electrolysis. The specific extraction method depends on the metal's reactivity. - Alloys are mixtures of metals that can alter properties like hardness. Trace metal analysis can be done using techniques like ICP-MS and ICP-OES that involve ionizing metals using argon plasma. Classes of materials - The four main classes of materials are metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Ceramics and metals have distinct bonding structures that give them different properties like hardness and conductivity. Properties can also be tailored by combining materials into composites. Material properties

Uploaded by

Toman Chi To Lam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1

Option A Summary
Materials

A1 Material science introduction


Understandings

Materials are classified based on their uses, properties, or bonding and structure.

The properties of a material based on the degree of covalent, ionic, or metallic character
in a compound can be deduced from its position on a bonding triangle.

Composites are mixtures in which materials are composed of two distinct phases, a
reinforcing phase that is embedded in a matrix phase.
Guidance

Consider properties of metals, polymers and ceramics in terms of metallic, covalent and
ionic bonding.

See section 29 of the data booklet for a triangular bonding diagram.


Applications

Use of bond triangle diagrams for binary compounds from electronegativity data.

Evaluation of various ways of classifying materials.

Relating physical characteristics (melting point, permeability, conductivity, elasticity,


brittleness) of a material to its bonding and structures (packing arrangements, electron
mobility, ability of atoms to slide relative to one another).
Guidance

Permeability to moisture should be considered with respect to bonding and simple packing
arrangements.

Materials and properties

Metals are strong and malleable


Glasses are transparent and brittle
Ceramics are excellent insulators except
superconductors
Substances can be classified as ionic,
covalent or metallic but some show
intermediate properties and this is
determined by the difference in
electronegativity of elements

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Option A Summary
Materials

Materials and properties


Since CsF is the most ionic compound with difference in electronegativity =
3.2, the ionic character of a compound can be defined relative to this value:

Percentage ionic character =

3.2

x 100%

Classes of material
There are four distinct classes of materials: metals, polymers, ceramics
and composites

1.Ceramic

All solid materials (except metals and their alloys) are ceramics,
glasses and semiconductors are also considered as ceramics
sometimes
Made by high-temperature processing of inorganic raw materials
Have properties opposite to those of metals
Forms giant ionic or giant covalent structures and thus are very hard
yet brittle (because of ions)
Can be porous as they are gaps in their structure that allows water
molecule to pass

Example: Glass is formed when molten silicon dioxide and ionic metal
oxides are mixed and cooled quickly so that the solid formed retains some
disorder of the liquid

2.Composite

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Option A Summary
Materials

Composites are formed when strong and


hard fiber material are embedded in a
matrix of another material
Fibers confer strength while matrix confers
toughness, these properties of a composite
can be changed or tailor-made by adjusting
the amount or orientation of the fibers

Examples

3.Metal

Metal cationic lattice bathing in a sea of delocalized electrons


Malleable and ductile because layers of atoms can slide easily relative
to one another
Excellent heat and electrical conductivity because of the delocalized
sea of electrons
Transition metals are harder and have higher melting points than main
group metals due to the involvement of both s and d electrons in
metallic bonding
Usually too soft in pure form, becomes tougher when alloyed with
other elements

Example: Gold is very soft in its pure form; it can be alloyed with copper
to make rings, which are more wear-resistant

4.Polymer

Polymer is a macromolecular structure consist of many monomer units


joined either by addition of condensation polymerization
Although polymer is a molecule, the extremely large size of it means
threads of polymer are held together by very strong London dispersion
force or van der Waals force and so they are solids

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Option A Summary
Materials

A very important example of polymer is plastic in which individual


polymer thread may (thermosetting plastics) or may not
(thermoplastics) cross-link
Thermoplastics tend to be elastic as separated chains can re-bond by
LDF after stress is removed while thermosetting plastics tend to be
hard and brittle because of cross-links

A2 Metals and inductively coupled plasma (ICP)


spectroscopy

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Option A Summary
Materials

Understandings

Reduction by coke (carbon), a more reactive metal, or electrolysis are means of obtaining
metals from their ores.

The relationship between charge and the number of moles of electrons is given by
Faradays constant, F.

Alloys are homogeneous mixtures of metals with other metals or non-metals.

Diamagnetic and paramagnetic compounds differ in electron spin pairing and their
behavior in magnetic fields.

Trace amounts of metals can be identified and quantified by ionizing them with argon gas
plasma in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy using mass spectroscopy ICP-MS
and optical emission spectroscopy ICP-OES.
Guidance

Faradays constant is given in the IB data booklet in section 2.

Details of operating parts of ICP-MS and ICP-OES instruments will not be assessed.
Applications

Deduction of redox equations for the reduction of metals.

Relating the method of extraction to the position of a metal on the activity series.

Explanation of the production of aluminium by the electrolysis of alumina in molten


cryolite.

Explanation of how alloying alters properties of metals.

Solving stoichiometric problems using Faradays constant based on mass deposits in


electrolysis.

Discussion of paramagnetism and diamagnetism in relation to electron structure of


metals.

Explanation of the plasma state and its production in ICP-MS and ICP-OES.

Identify metals and abundances from simple data and calibration curves provided from
ICP-MS and ICP-OES.

Metal extraction and


reactivity

Reactive metals are found in


ores while unreactive metals
exist in native form in nature
Ores are usually metal
oxides, sulphides or
carbonates mixed with
impurities like sand
Steps of extraction:
Purification of ore
Reduction
Different methods of
extraction may be used,
depending on the reactivity of
the metal, e.g. electrolysis or
reduction by coke or carbon monoxide

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Option A Summary
Materials

Prepared by Toman Lam

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